Nuclear Denotation
by katyroseforever
Summary: Zachary Stark is on a stationed ship for the Company that are searching for lone renegades. As the main villan, that none of them know about at first, Cyrus Campton, becomes more and more powerful, the Company's main priority is him. But, what does Cyrus really mean to Zach?
1. Chapter 1

I held my hands in front of my face, keeping the sand from entering my eyes. Slow and small sandstorms would sweep onto me as I walked through the desert, searching for my group. It was bright out here, the ancient ruins standing tall over the sand and earth below. My eyes wandered over to one of the pyramids, figuring that my group ran in there to hide away from the large sandstorm that was clearly coming. Why did I leave them again?

I stormed into the lost pyramid, my feet stepping onto solid ground. I hadn't been in here for years, so I did realize how much it had changed. Waterways were set up along the inside, many areas near these certain rivers and columns in every directions. The Egyptians finally found a smart way to use their pyramids. For survival.

I walked along the edge by one waterway, turning in a direction that led to a big open room with columns, some odd objects that I couldn't recognize, and hieroglyphs covering the walls. I shrugged at the signs. I wasn't able to read them, so why care?

I heard a quick breath appear from one part of the pillars, so I froze in my place, my hand reaching for my holster. The silence was followed with some skidding of feet, pattering into another area of this room. I noted that no weapons were used at this point, so I pulled my hands away from my holster. I figured that it was just some tomb raider hiding out in here.

I shook off some dust and headed in the direction I was going, giving off a sign to the raider that I wasn't going to bother him. Instead, when I got close to the exit of this particular room, a foot flew out from behind its hiding spot and tripped me.

I crashed into the ground, but I rolled over onto my elbows so I could take one hand to grab my gun, and I could have myself lifted at a different height. As quick as lightening, I snapped out my gun, pointing it up at the unwanted person. I lowered my gun though, my face falling, when I realized whom it was.

Her bright smile certainly wasn't dull, and neither was her face. Her face was perfectly angular in a way I couldn't see a remake. Her eyes were a light green that I rarely saw anymore, and her hair was a dark brown that was slicked back into a ponytail today. Her body was an hourglass figure, tight shirt on her body as well as tight black pants. Boots that almost rose to her knees stood before me, one foot stepping onto my stomach. Her thin arms were crossed in front of her chest, while the grin on her face was menacing, to an extent.

"Look what we got here!" Teasingly, she gave my side a little kick.

"Zelia! You can't go around attacking people! Especially ones that know how to kill you in seconds," I grumbled, standing up without taking her open hand.

She chuckled. "Come on, Zach, just lighten up."

"No, I won't lighten up," I brushed off some sand from my coat. "I could have killed you."

"Not unless I stopped you," Zelia winked, racing off into the darkness looming in future rooms.

"Zelia?" I called after her, the thought of darkness engulfing me began to terrify me. I heard stories of the Egyptians magic, particularly in tombs. I wasn't too excited to step out into a place where they use to cast spells.

I sucked in some air before entering the next room. It was filled with sarcophaguses lying across the room. A shiver ran up my spine as I quickened my pace to leave. Fear followed in after me as I felt eyes on my back. Sweat ran down my back, realizing that I lost where Zelia took off. Damn Zelia and her speed.

Soon enough, I heard voices ahead of me. I exhaled when I saw torches brightening a room after this one. I rushed in, finding my group, which was a group of six, including me. Zelia and Lydia were the only females. What made that only worse was that Zelia tried to act like a guy while Lydia disliked Zelia and was snooty. I never understood how the girl got into our Institute. Her father must have paid her way in.

"Took you damn long enough," Brady remarked, getting to his feet and slipping in my direction.

Brady was the actual leader of our group. He was twenty-three, the eldest, and clearly the strongest. I was the most intellectual, compared to him by little, so I was just as powerful as he was. The one thing that I didn't possess was his death look. He could look at you and it was that glint in his eyes. A glint that showed death itself.

"Sorry, I got lost out there," I muttered, moving past him so I wouldn't have to hear him complain. Not to my face at least.

"You got lost?" Stanton huffed a dark laugh. "Can't you see the pyramids from a hundred miles away? It's not like they are only ten feet tall."

I mimicked him, just to tick him off. It worked, luckily. He pounced to his feet, but a voice convinced him to not attack.

"Stanton, I wouldn't recommend to do that," the voice was soft and special, all in one.

We all glanced at Charles, Stanton's twin brother. They both had jet black hair and misty gray eyes, but they could never be similar. Charles was shorter than me, while Stanton must be my same height. Stanton always allowed his hair to fall in pieces on his forehead, but Charles thought it was right to have his gelled back, in a gentleman manner. Stanton was a dark and cold person, and Charles was much more quiet and peculiar, almost as if he was fighting himself to not go to a dark place. There was a mysterious feeling about Charles, something that none of us could find. It was almost as if he wanted people to not know who he truly was. Charles easily caught people's attention, even if he was quiet and full of thought. He spoke in a tone that most people couldn't resemble, a low and soft way that made him seem like he was talking slow. Anyone could understand him, unless they weren't paying attention. But, again, that was rare. Everyone usually had their eyes locked on Charles when he needed or wanted to speak. It was as if he were a god himself, here among the living.

"And why the hell not?" Stanton growled. Yes, Stanton hated his brother, but even he couldn't ignore Charles.

"Because," Charles grinned, his eyes meeting mine. "We all do not want a fight among the Company."

I flashed a grin in return. "Of course we don't."

"That's right, Stanton. So, sit your ass down," Brady snapped at Stanton.

Both Charles and I began to snicker in the background, with Stanton glaring at us in an annoyed way. He wouldn't disobey Brady. And we knew that.

"What are we doing in this place, anyway?" Lydia's voice was cracking and her face was dramatic. I could tell that she wanted to get out of this place as quickly as possible.

"Some guys have been stealing away oxygen from the Source," Brady said, brushing some sand off the hieroglyphs, admiring them. He had always been interested in this kind of stuff.

"Why in the world would they do that?" my voice was hoarse, for a reason I couldn't figure out. Maybe it was the sand getting to me.

Brady shrugged though. "Probably trying to save up some extra oxygen in case the Internal War begins."

We all shivered, except for Brady. We have all grown up learning about the Internal War since we were small children. It was a legend that was surely possible, a legend that spoke of the Earth causing a catastrophic explosion inside itself, which could hurt all of us here as well. We are a race that could live in this place, so it would be difficult if the world seemed to explode. Our government was trying to figure something out as help.

"The Internal War is just a fairytale," Lydia snapped, her own fear brining on denial.

Brady spun on his heels, his brown eyes narrowing at her. "That's what you have been told by your idiotic father. You wouldn't know a war if it was right before your eyes. Lydia, the Internal War is so damn possible that you wouldn't even be able to comprehend it."

Lydia's facial expression was so shocked that she was actually still. I chuckled as I moved around the group, leaning myself against a pillar. I took out my knife and begun to twirl it in my fingers. My hands felt like they had to be doing something at almost every second, especially when I was bored.

"The Internal War will either bring us to an end or a great change," Charles said, his voice soothing me into oblivion. I didn't blink though. It was a normal inside feeling that many didn't notice you experiencing.

Brady lifted an eyebrow in response, but only shook his head. Charles didn't see since he was staring straight ahead, almost in a trance. I watched him as he blinked a few times, his eyes gazing at an invisible entity. I tried to see what he was looking at, but clearly, I couldn't understand. Charles got to his feet, gliding across the sand toward the wall ahead of him, his eyes fixed on one of the images. His boots crackled on the sand as he did, a sound that made me cringe. Memories tried to swarm my mind, but I pushed them away with no affect.

"Now, we just need to find where these assholes are," Brady spoke again, turning back toward us, both hands on his hips. We all only eyed him, nervously.

Charles froze in front of the wall, his eyes lying on a certain hieroglyph. I walked up next to him, studying it. I recognized her sun disk crown.

"Isis," I muttered, nodding my head. I looked over at Charles, who's face was full of admiration.

"The Great Goddess! She told me!" Charles yelled before tearing off in the opposite direction, ducking around a corner within in seconds.

Brady ordered us to grab our packs and take off after him. Luckily, Charles didn't bring anything with him outside of his belt, so none of us had to carry extra. I threw my pack over my shoulder, running close by Brady, keeping a lookout for Charles. Unfortunately, he disappeared from our sight instantly. Worry quickened my heart. Did these fugitives get him? I pressed my legs harder, going faster than the others, so I could try to find him.

"Zach Stark! Get your lousy ass back over here!" Brady called after me as I slid ahead of them, moving farther and farther away.

I found an opening that led out of the pyramid, definitely not the same entrance I came in through. It was the length of a hallway, thin enough for both my pack and I to crowd through, only an inch leftover.

I was at the brink of insanity. I couldn't handle it if something happened to Charles. He was much like a brother to me, an unknown force bringing me close to him. I screamed as I slammed myself against the wall I was running through, my fury overpowering me. I could see the light on the opposite side, so I gained more speed and agility, bouncing against each wall in a manner that made it quicker to reach the end.

The sun was bright and the sandstorms had come to an end. My boots sunk into the sand, an action that I never cared for. I didn't like beaches too much. I hated taking my boots off when I got there. I got use to wearing my shoes on the sand, but it always did still feel odd.

I saw a shiny reflection come off of an object, and when I squinted my eyes to see more, I huffed and pulled out my goggles. Placing them on me and allowing it to read my fingerprint, it automatically focused on the scene before me. I could see Charles racing after an abandoned temple that had a little spirit area right across from it. How did I know that it was meant for spirits? Because it was a building that only had pillars in them, nothing else, not even walls. That meant it was a spirit house.

I stood there, checking over everything to see if I could find the fugitives. When all I could find was Charles, I waited for the others to catch up to me. Brady was the first one out, his eyes glaring at me. I motioned for him to hurry along, which he gladly did.

"What is it?" He panted. I laughed. He must have had a hard time catching up with me.

"I found Charles. He's heading straight for the spirit house."

"Spirit house?" Brady's voice was rough and his puzzled expression gave it away for me.

"It's the pillared building," I frowned. How did he not know this?

He nodded as an answer for my questioning of his stupidity. Okay, maybe he was in certain areas?

Brady called after the others, explaining where we were going. Brady and I made our way over the place, dusts of sand whipping behind us. With my goggles, I had full lock on Charles' location. It told me that he stopped moving, and when we rounded a corner, I saw that he was squatting behind a large rock, or piece of this ancient building. I couldn't tell which one it was.

Charles had a large smile planted on his face, he lifted a finger to his mouth, indicating that we keep quiet. I fell onto my knees beside him and took a couple of peeks over the rock into the building. I saw a shadow move. Yup, definitely a hideout. I grinned like a madman.

The others came up to us, getting down low. Brady took his time getting closer to the ground, but I was the lookout. We knew exactly what we had to do. We had to take them down, and fast.

"Let's get going, shall we?" Brady asked, a famous line that I heard thousands of times.

We all jumped up, stalked into the pillars, and took out our guns from their holsters. Each one of us separated from one another, taking over a certain area of the spirit house. I had the loudest voice in the group, so it was my job to call out.

"All hands in the air! This is the Company!" I yelled, my voice booming so loudly that it bounced off the walls.

Four men came out from their hiding spots, following my directions. Zelia and Lydia took one, Stanton got two, and Charles got the last one. Brady and I searched the place, sniffing out for the oxygen. I heard Brady clink a few bottles together, so I figured he found some. I kept on, my eyes going over every angle I could find.

That's when I saw it. I mean, her. She was sitting against a pillar, hands tied behind her back and a cloth around her mouth. She mumbled and muffled a scream as I came near her. I didn't think they would have a captive with them. Her hair was very light blonde, with big large natural curls that brought out her pretty face. Her eyes were emerald green, a color that I normally didn't even see. Zelia's own eyes were pale compared to this girl's. She was perfectly thin and shaped. All I could do was stare into her face for a moment, but I fixed myself and took off the cloth.

"Took you god well long enough!" She yelled, a strong British accent in her voice. She jerked at her tied hands, using all of her might. I could see the straining in her neck. I picked her up, moved behind her, and took the rope off her hands. She nudged away from me, brushing herself off and moving into view of the others.

I heard a low whistle and glowered. Stanton.

"Why, hello?" Brady was very confused now. I came out after her, gaining only a more puzzled look. This could seem very wrong on so many levels.

"Bonjour! Thanks for saving me. Now, can you take me home?" I could hear the edge in her voice. I held back a snicker.

Brady was stunned, Stanton physically turned away to laugh, Zelia and Lydia glared, while Charles stared at her, his eyes glinting.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Arissa, nice to meet you," a smile spread on her lips, but I could still feel something hidden behind it.

"That's an interesting name," Lydia went wide-eyed.

Arissa nodded. "Certainly. My family is interesting."

"Yeah, I could see that," Stanton chuckled.

Charles gave him a dirty look, and even I saw Stanton cower back a little, so it must have been terrifying. Who would have thought a girl could have made him glare at Stanton?

"And how do you suppose we get you home?" Brady was standing tall, his back erect.

"The same way you got here."

Brady shook his head. "It's not that easy, sweetheart. If you were a captive, then you may know some things about these fugitives and what they are connected to. You are a reliable person for us now. And since you are coming with us, you'll seem some of our secrets."

"And?" I think Arissa knew exactly what was coming.

"Being welcomed into the Company's secrets is forbidden. Unless you are part of the Company," Brady explained, glaring.

Arissa gulped.

"What our dear Brady is trying to say is that if you know our secrets, you must be either killed or become one of us," Charles spoke, coming to her side, reassuring her with his calm voice. All eyes were on him.

Arissa's mouth was wide in fear when she slowly traveled her eyes back on Brady. You could see it clearly in her eyes. She was mortified.

"I doubt you really want to be killed," Zelia said, her voice oddly rude.

"If so, can I kill her? She seems like a fun person to kill," Stanton's eyes glinted in humor and attraction.

I looked at him, disgustingly, before eyeing Charles. Charles was biting his lower lip, a motion I have only seen twice on him. He was intensely waiting for something to happen, anything but the silence. I could see the small blaze in his eyes beginning to burst into flames. Something was up his sleeve, a plan that only he knew.

"I don't want either," Arissa blurted, her mouth dry and voice cracked.

"Well, you have to choose one. We are not allowed to place in you prison with these men here," Brady nodded toward the fugitives. I went over to them and kicked one in the side so hard that he yelped. I couldn't help but grin.

"I don't want to die," Arissa spoke, her words tumbling out as she thought. "But it means death for both roads."

"What do you mean?" My head snapped in her direction. I thought she was mumbling.

"I would die either way. Becoming one of you would mean I am a slave to the government, which is death in a way. I might as well be the walking dead."

"That can arranged," Stanton stood up, rubbed his hands together, and stalked toward Arissa. I remembered the time when Stanton was about twelve and he touched a man that was threatening us. We all watched the man's skin burn and the flesh was barely left on his body. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. He became the walking dead itself, a creature that no longer had any sign of life, but was continuing to live. We all had odd abilities that came along with us, but Stanton was tested earlier.

"No, Stanton, that's not required," I stuttered, pushing him back. He did go back, but he pushed my hands off of him first.

"Arissa, listen," Charles stepped in front of her, his eyes falling on hers. I smirked when I saw her face turn to awe. Most people that gazed into his eyes always had a sensational reaction. "We don't want you to die. And we are not slaves for the government either. We are here to keep this place will live on safe, in case the Internal War happens."

Arissa huffed. "The Internal War can't begin without the External Wars."

"External Wars?" Charles' eyebrows furrowed.

Brady sighed. "Sweetheart, we are already in an External War. We are in a large one. Some unknown person is taking a huge chunk of the people, creating a world where everyone turns against one another. We don't know who this person is, or what group he controls, but he's getting more and more powerful. He's going to find a good time when our world is about to collapse to take over everything. He knows exactly what he's doing. There are no clues as to who he is. He's somewhere in larger continent, that all we know. Our Company is sent to search for him."

I looked at Brady, sideways. "Is that the real reason we came here?"

Brady nodded. "The Institute sent a message saying there were fugitives here as well, so we only got a side mission. There's no trace of the guy here though."

"Now, are you going to join us or what?" Zelia snapped, putting her weight onto one leg.

Lydia only watched the scene, snottily. I groaned silently, wishing I could punch her in the face.

Arissa studied each and every one of us. Her eyes only took longer on both Charles and I. I stomped my feet, nervously, feeling like I was being criticized by a girl that just barely showed up. Why was this feeling here? I'm a trained fighter. I would be able to kill her in a second. I shouldn't be feeling like she was a higher purpose than me. I only bore my eyes into her with frustration when she looked at the others.

"Let's take these guys to wherever you take them, and visit my father. Then I'll join you."


	2. Chapter 2

Footsteps echoed down the hall, the pattering of thick heels smacking against the floor. The whole inside of the buildings were painted pearly white, with black outlines to make it look like tile. The hem of a long red dress swept across the floor, following its owner. Thin hands slid against the wall as her eyes watched with satisfaction. A long slit came up her dress to her thigh, one leg showing. Her light red hair was pulled back into a low bun, her extravagant hazel eyes focused on one, and only one thing. That involved seeing him in his study.

She rounded a corner, her eyes full of determination, her hips moving swiftly from side to side as she walked. Her face was set, ready to slap him across the face, and back talk him. She wanted him to understand the pain that he has been causing her for the past few weeks. She was going for it. She was going to attack.

Eliza's reflection stopped her in the mirror that was at the end of the hall. Her face looked pale, with a little bit of blush splashed over her makeup. Fire was in her eyes, a trait people barely ever saw in her. She was typically a sweetheart, always looking out for others. But, today, she was taking things into her own hands, and blaming another.

She found his study door, but for a brief moment, she hesitated. But the memory of last night and this morning swarmed into her mind. That is what brought her to barge in.

His bright blue eyes glanced up from the paper in front of him, an eyebrow rising. "Eliza, is everything alright?"

She blew a little piece of hair out of her face, stricken with anger. "No, it's not alright."

He straightened his back, leaning back into his chair. "Care to explain then?"

Eliza's eyes seemed to weaken. "You left me last night. I thought you would be next to me when I woke up."

He ran a hand through his light brown hair, chuckling. "This is what you are upset about, darling?"

"Yes!" When Eliza stomped her foot, she saw the glare coming from his eyes. Her anger started to dissolve. "It's been happening a lot lately. I just want to see your face when I wake up."

"I have to work early in the morning, sweetheart. Even you know that," his voice was sympathetic, but clearly not enough. "Now, go do what you do best. Make yourself look pretty."

Eliza stood taller, prouder. "Aren't I pretty in the first place?"

His eyes traveled over her, a smirk appearing on his face. "On occasion."

He stood up, moving around his desk to grab a book from the case. Eliza's face was burning from her temper. How dare he call her beautiful on occasion? For the past two months, he slept in her bed every night. He should have more respect than that.

"You are cruel, Cyrus Campton," the name was much like a curse on her lips.

Cyrus' mouth curled. "But you love me anyway."

Eliza was slapped with shock, his astonishing answer made her speechless. She never once admitted that she loved him, only to herself. How could he have possibly known?

"You may be a whore in the first place, sweetheart, but I'm not an idiot. I can tell by how your eyes and face light up, and your overall attitude toward me."

"You should have never known," her voice was bland.

"But I figured it out, so get over it," Cyrus' voice was harsh as he slammed a book closed. "I may not precisely yet, but, it is still possible for me to fall in love. Am I worth that chance?"

_No, you are not_, the thought appeared in Eliza's mind, but she pushed it away. "Yes."

His eyes were gleaming now. "Then help me, Eliza. Help me build an empire. This world is full of no-talent morons. I know I can make this place better, much better."

_Or darker_, though, again, she ignored her thoughts.

"You will help me, won't you, darling?"

Eliza couldn't help it. The look in his eyes was the reflection of a child. He was giddy with excitement. Too bad she couldn't tell what that was for.

"Of course," she breathed.

"Thank you, darling. It means the world to me," he grinned, taking a seat again in his chair.

"What do you propose-"

Cyrus peered up at her, his face seeming annoyed by her presence. "Can we talk about this at dinner, darling?"

Eliza stood there, studying the man she fell in love with four months ago. He was tall, muscles filling his arms from the years of training he had. His hair was light brown and constantly slicked back in a fashionable manner. Everyone fell in love with his eyes, the color of the cloudless sky. His smile was charming and lovely, but at the same, menacing and dark. He never spoke of his age, but Eliza guessed he had to be at least twenty years old. This man, Cyrus Campton, was in control of one of the largest army the earth contained. They were all either made into his personal guards, soldiers, or secret spies. Cyrus knew exactly what he was doing, what directions he should go, and what his enemies were going to do. He had everything planned from the very beginning, able to predict everyone else's moves. He was a charmer and persuader, surely, but no one, not even his assistants or Eliza, knew who this man really was. He never spoke of his family or past, almost as if he appeared out of the air. Cyrus Campton was as much of a mystery to the world as he was to himself.

"Fine," Eliza spat, turned, and exited out of the room.

Cyrus grinned, both passionately and wickedly. "What an interesting way to live."

Eliza sat at the dinner table, the same red dress resting tightly against her body. Her eyes wandered over the dining room, her foot impatiently tapping. Cyrus should have arrived half an hour ago, and there was no sign of him. Not even his servants. A little voice in her head was telling her that he would never show, and he would never love her. Her pretty face fell as her eyes dropped to the floor, realizing that it was all entirely possible.

Suddenly, a door slammed against the wall as it flew open, heavy footsteps following it. Eliza lifted her head to find about four servants scurrying all around the room, shifting things in their right places and setting things up. Cyrus waltzed into the room after them, his eyes sweeping over the room. His body shook from a quick laugh. He glanced over at Eliza, smirking, as usual. Eliza noticed that he was equipped with proper attire, a suit and shiny black shoes. She didn't understand why he would for dinner, considering he would even come to dinner in muddy clothes. He never gave a damn. And that's why she was surprised about this evening.

Cyrus took a seat across from her, grinning like a cat. There was optimism in the air, a feeling that followed Cyrus in the room. Eliza couldn't help but feel herself shiver.

"Cold?" Cyrus' voice was plain and unemotional.

"I suppose so," Eliza lied, pretending to look confused.

She knew that Cyrus knew she was putting on an act, but he let it slide. As servants brought them food, Eliza studied Cyrus carefully. There was something off inside of him, she could tell. Wires were charging and wheels were turning in his head, it was easy to see. He would stare at the table and not make a sound. Did she a hint of nervousness flash across his face?

"What's on your mind, Cyrus?" She leaned forward, clearly interested.

"Thinking about my plans," he replied, only meeting her eyes for a quick moment. He seemed distracted, completely.

"And they are?"

Now he looked in her in the face. He grinned. "I can't tell you that, darling."

Eliza made a sad face, hoping to convince him. "But you always tell me about your plans!"

"Not this one, sweetheart. This one needs special care. And secrecy."

Eliza glowered. "Can you at least tell me why you are dressed for a special occasion?"

He brushed some bread crumbs off his shirt. "I'm going out tonight. Meeting with someone that is willing to help me."

Eliza's eyebrow cocked. "And this someone is?"

"You'll meet him soon enough."

Eliza couldn't help but feel disappointed about him keeping a secret. Maybe she could make him spill everything tonight.

He must have read her mind. "I'll possibly be out all night. So, don't expect me tonight."

Her eyes flickered up to him. "Really?"

"No matter how much I'll miss it," he lips curled. "I have business to attend to."

Just then, a knock echoed across the room, grabbing their attention. Cyrus ordered for the servants to allow the person in. Eliza's mouth fell open as her eyes traced over the two figures walking toward them. Cyrus' smile only grew wider.

One of Cyrus' closest assistants, a man by the name of Harrison, had a hard grip on a girl's shoulders. Harrison steered the young girl into the room, her face full of terror. Eliza noticed that the girl's hands were shaking. She had dark blonde hair with pretty light green eyes. She was overall a pretty girl, but the fear she was expressing made her look younger. Eliza restrained herself from getting up and wrapping her arms around the girl. Eliza knew the place she was in.

"Ah! You got the girl! Wonderful Harrison," Cyrus chimed, standing out of his seat and heading over to them. Eliza could only sit and watch.

"It took us a while, sir. But at least we got sighting of her alone, so we snatched her up," Harrison stood proudly.

"I can see that you did. And not a scratch on her, very good," he nodded to Harrison in thanks.

Cyrus squatted down so he was able to look up at her. She responded with a quick glare, before cringing it back. "What's your name, girl?"

"Tiffany," she squeaked.

"Well, nice to meet you Tiffany. Know who I am?"

Tiffany nodded. "Cyrus Campton. HE informed me," she jerked her chin in the direction of Harrison.

Cyrus chuckled, silently. "I'm sure. But, I mean, do you know _who I am_?"

Tiffany's expression was blank. Eliza couldn't tell whether it was from the horrorstruck she was suffering, or she just flat out didn't know.

Cyrus stood up, slowly, as he spoke. "I'm the one who had your mother killed."

A gasp escaped from Tiffany's lips as he glided away from her. She didn't go after him, surprisingly, but her tongue was just as bad. "How? She was murdered. We saw the murderer, and it certainly wasn't you."

Cyrus shook his head. "Silly girl. You seem much smarter than most fifteen year olds. Girl, I'm the one who made the plans for her to be killed. Get it now?"

Eliza could see Tiffany clenching her teeth to hide the anger that was rising. Eliza's eyes trailed after Cyrus, stunned. He ordered someone to be killed?

Cyrus turned to Eliza, his eyes deeply darker. "Darling, will you watch after her? We have another on the hunt."

"What are you planning on doing with these girls?" Eliza stood up, her eyes narrowing.

"They are all part of the plan, darling. Don't worry. You'll be told about this soon enough," Cyrus winked. "Now, I'm off to meet my comrade."

Cyrus stalked out of the room, leaving everyone else in the room speechless and astonished.

The streets were dark, filled with some lamps out along the sidewalks. It was a large city in Pennsylvania, a town that wouldn't notice a large business growing. With a hooded cap and dark clothes on, Cyrus blended in perfectly with the shadows. People saw the image of a man walking through the streets, but no one knew who it exactly was.

As he moved with his hands in his pockets, a jingling sound followed him. Cyrus peeked over his shoulder, noticing that there was no one close enough to him to make that loud of a sound. His eyes flashed to his sides and caught movement from the other side of the alleys. Cyrus smirked, continuing on and not catching any attention.

Another figure joined his side, throwing himself out of the darkness. It was casual. Most people wouldn't see his quick appearance, so they wouldn't take too much notice. The other man was slightly taller than Cyrus, but he was just as covered up as Cyrus.

"Good to see you, Gregory," Cyrus spoke, slyly.

"You too, Cyrus," the other man revoked. "So, who is this man that we are seeing?"

"He goes by the name of Hasani Radke. I'm sure that's his real name, but you know how men have been these days," Cyrus laughed.

"I can understand," humor was in Gregory's voice as well. "How did he come across us?"

"I came across him. I noticed that he was trying to raise an army, but most of his men turned to me. The ones that he does have are strong and powerful. I agreed to team up with him, naturally."

"Lets hope you have chose correctly, Campton," Gregory cackled, evilly of course.

"Gregory, you know me. If he doesn't go the way I want, I have a backup plan that will ruin him."

"Of course you do. Of course," Gregory repeated as they both found the house that belonged to their client.

It was a large mansion, not the size of Cyrus' or even Gregory's, but it was clearly visible. Guards surrounded the yard and house, but they allowed the two men to go inside. Hasani Radke must have given these men specific orders.

Hasani greeted them in the study, which was the room that servants led them to. Before the servants left, they took the men's cloaks. Facing the infamous Hasani Radke, Cyrus realized that their client was neither Arabian nor African. He was tanner than most people in America, but he wasn't dark enough to be of that nationality. It might have been back in the far past, but he just wasn't sure. Cyrus did recognize that Hasani had very tan skin, dark black hair, and sapphire blue eyes. Hasani was intimidating in the first place; his large build and tall structure. But, Cyrus knew he could outsmart this man in a heartbeat.

"Cyrus Campton," Hasani's eyes lit up at the sight of him. His eyes seemed puzzled when they landed on Gregory.

"This is my ally, Gregory Marcus," Cyrus introduced. He felt the tension rise between Gregory and Hasani. "We have a plan."

"And what is that?" Hasani leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"You know that we want control of this world, correct?" Cyrus sat in a chair across from Hasani. When he nodded, Cyrus continued. "Well, there is a group called The Company that is becoming more and more powerful. I want them to either join me or be destroyed."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"I have some ideas. It includes two spies and one hostage. I'm sure we can do this, whichever way it goes." Cyrus smiled.

Hasani glimmered. "Tell me more about this plan of yours."


	3. Chapter 3

Back on the ship, I sat in a chair, twiddling with my knife and some wood. I don't know what I was exactly making, but at least it kept me distracted. I was engrossed with it that I didn't take any notice to the appearance of another behind me. I jumped out of my seat when she did speak though.

"Bored?"

I spun around to see the emerald eyes meeting mine, her face smirking. Oh yes, the newcomer. "No. I'm just keeping myself busy."

Arissa leaned against the back of my chair, looking over my shoulder. "What are you making there?"

"Not sure yet. It'll turn out to be something."

Arissa sighed, loudly, and took a seat near mine. She placed her elbow on the table next to her, putting her chin in her hand, and fixing her eyes on me. I glanced up at her for a moment before shaking my head and going back to my work.

"I really have to become one of you, don't I?" Arissa's voice sounded bland.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, you do. I thought we explained this clearly?"

Arissa smiled, a small, sweet smile. "Oh, you did. I'm just thinking."

"About exactly?"

"What it's going to be like."

I stared at her, a hint of a glare in my eyes. "It's not the end of the world, dear."

Now she returned a glare. "I'm not a 'dear'. I'm sure you aren't too much older than me."

"Oh?" I scoffed, focusing my attention on the knife in my hands.

"How old are you then?"

"Eighteen."

"Ha!" she exclaimed, laughing. "See! I'm seventeen. So, no calling me dear."

"Whatever."

Her eyes began to cast around the ship, a confused expression splashing across her face whenever she spotted one of the technical machines. "What is all of this junk?"

"Are you really going to call it junk?"

Arissa furrowed her eyebrows, waiting for me to continue.

"This 'junk' is keeping you from falling to your death," I snapped, trying not to give her my full attention.

"I figured that out," her voice was harsh. I cringed a little. "I just don't understand any of it."

I shrugged. "Stanton can teach you. He's the tech guy."

"Stanton is the dark one that wanted to kill me, right?"

Chuckling, I answered. "Yeah. Don't be flattered. He does that to everyone."

"Flattered? That guy scares me."

I gave a little jump in my seat, my eyes widening as they met hers. "The great newcomer is afraid of someone?" I gasped, not trying to hide my amusement at all.

Her eyes narrowed in my direction. "Anyone can be scared."

"Stanton is only afraid of Zelia, or Charles. I can never tell. Brady doesn't seem to be scared of anything though."

Arissa leaned in close to me, her sweet scent traveling up my nose. "Nothing that he's not hiding."

"What are you talking about?"

"The people that try their hardest to be strong are the ones that are terribly afraid," something twinkled in her eyes.

I lost my breath for a second. Then, when I did regain my conscious mind, everything seemed confusing. "So, you are telling me that Brady only acts strong because he's afraid of everything?"

"Precisely. Everyone, mainly you men, have to seem brave. It's a natural fact, since you were the ones that went out fighting. I see it all the time. My father is one of those people."

"And your mother?" My voice sounded edgy.

Arissa glowered. "She met her worse fear."

My eyebrow raised.

"Death."

"Ah," I let out a breath, resisting the pursuit of more questions.

Instead, she did it for me. "She was murdered. A hired murderer. The man ran into my room after the gunshot was fired. He would have killed me too, if it wasn't for my father's guards that chased him in."

"Did they catch him?"

She nodded. "I watched him die."

I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her response was a puzzled expression, so I pulled my hand back, having the same reaction as her.

The recollection of finding her in the spirit house, bound at the wrists and ankles, bubbled in my head. "How did they capture you?"

"Hm?" Her eyes looked at me, coming back from a distant memory I presumed.

"The fugitives. What happened?"

"Oh," her voice trailed off, as did her eyes. "My father agreed for me to see Egypt, since it has been a dream of mine forever. I was sent there with my servant, Lisa. I realized that traveling through the desert alone is a bad idea."

I laughed, loudly. "No duh. Anyone would know that."

Her eyes flickered toward me, and I really wish they didn't.

"What happened to Lisa?"

"Lisa was attacked. She was bleeding, profoundly, as they dragged me away," I heard her voice crack a little. "I hope someone came across her quickly."

I looked her dead in the eyes. "Did they hurt you?"

"Nope. I bit one of them when they tried to tie me up. I think I frightened them of those thoughts with me," she grinned.

I shook my head, chuckling. "You are really something, Arissa."

"Arissa Holden."

"Zachary Stark," I greeted in return. "But call me Zach."

"Well, Zach, there is something about you that makes me curious."

I smiled. "And what could that special something be?"

"I'm not sure. I'm still searching," she returned a smile.

Suddenly, she stood up, beckoning out of the door. I watched her, puzzled.

"Did I say something?"

Arissa peered at me over her shoulder, resting a hand on her hip. "Oh no. I'm just going to freshen up before I see my father. I would recommend that to you as well."

"Why?"

The glint her eyes were cunning. "You'll see."

Arissa was right, I should have fixed myself up a bit better than I did. Andy Holden was a world-known officer that controlled agencies for The Ligancy. The Ligancy is much higher than us, but we do most of the dirty work. The Ligancy are consisted of many different agencies that circle the world, hunting down much worse men, help out in wars, or go around searching for things that may possibly save us. The Ligancy is concentrated on keeping the Internal War to not be disturbed, but also to help end the battles that we all face. I knew of Andy Holden, but I didn't put Arissa and him together. Arissa was practically a princess in our world, probably receiving many men's hand in marriages. I didn't spot a ring on her finger when I turned to glance at her. She must have known I was looking because a smirk rested on her face, her eyes staring at her mansion.

We were greeted by a worried Andy Holden, his thin face filled with so much emotion that I didn't think it was possible. A man of such high class filled with worry and fear? I couldn't put the pieces together. I craned my head to see Brady, whose face was expressionless. My mind wanted to find an answer to all of these little things, but I couldn't figure it out. I took a deep breath, allowing it to relax me. I think too much.

"My little Arissa. Are you all right?" Andy's face was thin, old, and tan. His eyes were weary, a pale brown that seemed tired. His hair was a dark brown, surprisingly. Arissa must have gotten her looks from her mother.

"I'm fine father," she entered his embrace. "These people saved me."

"The Company I see," Andy's face was warm, and welcoming. "Let me guess. The Forgotten Souls?"

"How did you know?" Brady's mouth twitched into a grin, his voice kind. I had to shake my head to believe that this was really happening.

"I recognize your picture as the Captain. Thank you for saving my daughter," everything about him became solemn in less than a second. "I wish I could say the same for my other daughter."

Arissa's head snapped up to look at her father, and we all gazed at him. What was he trying to tell us?

"My youngest daughter has gone missing, kidnapped."

Arissa crashed to her knees. I held myself back from rushing to her side. I could tell by Brady's eyes. He wanted to know more about this.

"What's her name?" Brady asked, his normal tone returning.

"Tiffany. Tiffany Holden. Men appeared to snatch her off the streets, carelessly. They were all wearing dark clothes with hoods. We have no clue who they are." Andy's eyes fell to the ground, close to Arissa.

Brady and I met eyes. We have heard of these guys. I immediately made the connection.

"These men may be working for the illusionist," Brady announced.

All eyes fell on him, except for Arissa's. Hers continued to lie on the floor.

"Who is this?"

Brady shook his head, his hands still tucked behind his back. "We don't know who this person is. That's what we call him, the illusionist. He has been told to stalk the streets and make many plans without any clues leading back to him. He has powerful control, Mr. Holden. More powerful than you."

Andy only stared, horrified. I caught the sight of movement beside us. Arissa stood up, walking quickly toward Brady, growling in his face. "And you all can watch me kill him with my bare hands."

Brady laughed. "You really think _you_ can kill him, let alone find him? Sweetheart, not even the best in the country can find out who this man is. I doubt a girl like you could solve the puzzle."

Arissa sneered before going back to her place beside her father. My eyes followed her. She was something, wasn't she?

"Do you think you will be able to find her?" Andy asked.

Brady didn't laugh this time, but I could tell he had to hold it in. "Mr. Holden, the only way we could find her would be if we found the illusionist. Who knows how long that will be?"

"It could be years," Charles responded, his eyes staring at the ground.

Andy's eyes flickered over to him. "And you are?"

"Charles Calloway."

Andy clicked his tongue, but looked away. I could see tension between the two of them. Which was odd, truly.

"This is my team," Brady started, naming us off down the row. "Stanton Calloway, Charles Calloway, Lydia Park, Zelia Yale, and Zachary Stark."

I was watching everyone as he named us. When I did bring my eyes back to Andy and Arissa, Andy was studying me. I only locked eyes with him, wondering why he was doing that.

"My daughter seems to give you an admiring look," he replied.

Arissa froze and I chuckled. "I highly doubt that, sir."

"Hmm," Andy hummed, patting Arissa's shoulder. "I'm glad this Company found you. They all seem very trustworthy."

Brady stepped forward, puffing his chest. "Sir, I'm sorry to say, but I'm sure you of all people know the rules of what comes next."

Andy's face fell. "I know."

Arissa's longing face peered up at her father. "I really do have to join them, huh?"

Andy rubbed her shoulder, caringly. "I'm afraid so." He met eyes with Brady, but sometimes his eyes would take a quick look at me. "Please keep her safe."

Brady smiled. "Of course."

Andy kissed her on top of the head, and made her face him. "Write to me as much as possible."

"I will father," Arissa proudly stood taller, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll keep myself safe and search for Tiffany at all cost."

He gave her a pat on the back before she glided over to us, moving in between Charles and Stanton. Brady said a few last words to Andy Holden, but I tuned it out. My eyes were focusing on the reaction Arissa was having, which seemed like grief. Was it the missing of her sister and now the loss of her father? It may be all of that in one. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. I couldn't even figure out what to say. I have a past too, of course, but I couldn't comprehend in a girl's shoes. I decided to just give her a chance to breathe and relax. She'll find me later on.

My eyes glazed over to Charles, who seemed deep in thought. I saw that he was grimacing, an expression I rarely saw on him. His fingers were twitching uncontrollably, and his fists were clenched. Next, I looked at Stanton. And that's when I saw it. Stanton was giving off a slight smile to the ground, while Charles looked angry. Fearful, I whistled to catch either of their attention. Charles was the one to see me, and he glared. I gasped, silently, stunned at his reaction. But, Charles and Stanton met gazes, and soon enough, Stanton was glaring and Charles was smiling again. It was almost as if they switched personalities. I shook my head and let my feet take me up to the ship. Maybe it was just my imagination.


	4. Chapter 4

Charles and I stood there, awkwardly, watching Arissa sleep in her bed. I saw her stomach rise and fall, so I knew she was at least breathing. Both him and I would glance at each other every few seconds, unsure of what to do. Why did Brady have to make us figure this out instead of Lydia and Zelia, actual _girls_.

"Stanton pulled a pretty stupid stunt," Charles remarked, his voice a little edgy. "At least Zelia attacked him before he could finish it."

I continued to study her, double checking that she was acting correctly. I didn't notice Charles moving to her side until I saw him place his hand on her chest. I rushed toward him, slapping his hand back.

"Dude! What the hell?"

Charles eyed me confusingly. "I was seeing how her heart rate was."

"What about a pulse? You don't have to put your hand on her chest area!"

Charles' face was expressionless, as well were his eyes. "The heart is the source of everything."

I lifted my hands in the air, backing away in retreat. I turned my back from him when he returned to what he was doing. Something inside of me told me not to look.

"She's fine," his voice caught my attention again. "Stanton probably only startled her enough to make her pass out."

Charles beckoned out of the room, so I raced after him, closing her door behind me. I jogged to his side, giving him a little nudge. "What did Stanton exactly do? I came in when Zelia pounced on his ass."

Charles locked his eyes on me. "He decided to try one of his inventions on her, just to see how she would react. Turned out to be a shock device. I'm surprised it didn't kill her."

"Well, she's pretty tough," I scoffed, not giving Charles' glare any satisfaction.

"I noticed," he snapped, walking a little faster than me.

I faltered, staring after him, surprised. Was he really acting like this? "Charles! What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" He yelled at me, spinning around. But, when he locked eyes with mine, the anger melted into a smile. He seemed normal again. "I'm sorry about that, Zach. I've been feeling a little off lately."

"I noticed," I replied, in the same tone he gave me.

Sliding his hands in his pockets, he strode next to me, whistling a tune that I recognized. I didn't ask though. I felt like it was an unneeded question.

"What do you think of Arissa?" I asked him, my eyes flickering between him and the space we were walking on.

"She's different than most people I have met," his eyes fell to the floor and I saw him give a tidy smile. "And she's certainly pretty."

"Falling for her?"

Charles shot me a look. "Shut your mouth."

I raised my hands in defense. "Okay, okay, Charles. You win."

He rolled his eyes and walked on, moving past me and in front of me so I couldn't come up next to him. I chuckled behind him, which made him move even faster. Charles was actually the different one of the world.

Brady came rushing up toward us, his face set, as usual. But this time, I could see the frustration in his eyes. Deep, painful frustration.

"What's wrong Brady?"

"We are in port. I don't like this city."

"We are in port? Since when?" I glanced around the ship, confused that I didn't feel it.

"About twenty minutes ago. I'm going out into the city to look for some goods, even though I hate this place," he murmured, pushing past me to go down the halls that led to his room.

"What city?" I called after him, but he only shook his head, continuing until he rounded a corner.

I shrugged in response, heading down to the transporting area of the ship. Zelia was standing in the opening, gazing out onto the busy streets. Stanton was beginning to disappear into the crowds with Lydia, going to steal something probably. Zelia gave me a sideways smile.

"We've hit the jackpot," her voice was cunning and witty.

I laughed. "What do you mean?"

"This is Los Angeles. It's not as famous as it was back in the day, but it's still popular."

My eyes trailed over the scene, hundreds of people crowded into the dusty streets that were once paved over. Businesses boomed at every corner, even some having little carts in the middle of the streets. I couldn't help but find the chaos funny and intriguing. You didn't see this every day back at home.

"Want to wander?" Zelia was close to jumping in delight.

"What the hell," I slammed my hand against her back, bringing annoyance into her eyes. I grinned as I walked down the runway past her, feeling like a winner.

It was hard to walk through, but Zelia and I kept close to each other. Brady never liked us going anywhere without at least one other person tagging along, but most of the time we never told him that we were alone. Brady was too overprotective at times. We all got fed up with it too. We knew how to take care of ourselves.

"Do you know why Brady hates it here?" I asked, remembering the expression on his face when I saw him.

"I heard this where he grew up."

"Whoa! Really?" I chimed in, astonished. "He lived here? I use to believe that Brady appeared out of thin air!"

Zelia cackled. "No, he was surely born from somewhere. I heard Charles say something about Brady's little sister being kidnapped in this place too."

Silence followed. Brady was the type of person you never thought would dwell over the past, but I guess I misunderstood. He did, but he just didn't express it. I felt almost guilty, for not getting what he was dealing with here now.

I lifted my head to see two young girls. One had to be at least a year or two older than me, while the other one was about fifteen. The older one met my eyes with a delicate smile on her face, showing off her pretty features. Her hair was a light red, with very light brown eyes that sparkled in the sunlight. I stared, to be honest, but something told me to shake it off. The younger one had darker hair, a little more brown in it too, and her eyes were dark brown. I could see how they might possibly be related, but the glint in their eyes told a different story. Looking them both over made me realize that they wore dreaded clothes that were starting to fall apart and incredibly dirty. It was as if they wore rags for dresses. I did notice they had dirt smeared across their faces and necks.

Immediately, I grabbed onto Zelia's wrist and steered her toward the girls. She tried to resist, but eventually gave up. I was too determined for this.

The red head watched me coming from a distance, her lips parted slightly. The younger one had her eyes wide and curious. They couldn't look anymore different from each other before that moment. The older one spoke first though.

"May we help you?"

I shivered. Her voice sounded like crystals. "The question is toward you, really."

The younger one took a step toward me, glaring. "What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"You two look like you need some serious help. Cleaning, food, money, and new clothes. I'm willing to help, if you would like to take it," I offered, holding out my hand. "The name's Zach Stark."

"Eliza Mitchell," the older one spoke. She held a hand toward the little one. "And this is my little sister, Brianna."

"Very nice to meet you," I grinned. I felt a nudge against my arm and found Zelia crossing her arms, tapping a foot. "Oh yeah, this is Zelia Yale, one of my partners."

"Oh," Eliza said, staring at Zelia with her eyes wide.

I took me a minute to put the pieces together. "Whoa! No! Not that kind of partner! We work together."

Zelia narrowed her eyes and Eliza smiled again. "Ah I see. So, you really want to help us?"

"Of course," I nodded, ignoring Zelia's whispers.

"And how do you propose you do that?"

"I could buy you clothes and food. Maybe you could join the ship even."

"ZACH!" Zelia exclaimed, loudly, and closely to my ear. I cringed back a little, holding onto my ear. This time she wasn't afraid to be quiet. "Are you kidding me right now? No offense to them, but do you think Brady wants two poor girls on his ship? He isn't really a floating hotel, I hope you know that."

I was expressionless, but pestered further. "I'm sure he would like to have more helping hands. Either of you good at something?"

"My mother taught me how to cook," Eliza spoke, her eyes never wavering.

"I can draw," Brianna said, shrugging. "That's about it."

"See, there you go! We have someone to help the cook and have an entertainer!" I said, pressuring Zelia into a deeper hole. "Now go tell Brady that I got him two more recruits."

Zelia huffed, incredibly loud, but she stomped off back toward the ship. I turned to the girls, grinning. "Now, how about we buy you some clothes?"

They agreed and walked with me, wandering in from store to store. Luckily, I had plenty of money in my pocket, so I let them buy a few things for now. Unfortunately though, Eliza was an expensive girl. She wanted to more fancy dresses, while Brianna was okay with a shirt and pants. I rolled my eyes at them as I headed outside to wait for them to finish in the store.

I should have never walked outside.

In the middle of the near deserted street were about three men. One held a knife in his hands, an evil light in his eyes. Another held a tall scythe, which looked deadly in my opinion. The last one didn't have anything but a thin sword. I pursed my lips and nodded a head.

"What's going on?"

"We be needing something," the man with the knife spoke, his black eyes demented.

"And that is?"

"A Forgotten Soul member," he grimaced.

I placed my weight onto one leg. "Oh, of course. That's what you all want. Am I just that charming?"

"Don't play us kid."

"Look who's talking," I chuckled. "You are the one that is wearing a childish grin."

Suddenly, he jerked his head forward. I should have known that was a code for "attack", but it didn't click in my head. They all rushed toward me, each one trying to take a side. I sighed, pulling out my gun in one hand and a knife in the other. Lifting my arm, I shot the one with the sword in the arm and swung myself around, ducking at the same time, so I could stab the one with the scythe in the leg. He roared in pain, falling back, rustling to keep a good hold onto his weapon.

"Idiots," I whispered, pushing myself toward them now, dodging the one with the knife by a lucky dodge. I triggered my gun and shot repeatedly at the big one with the scythe until he finally fell to the ground, moving only slightly. I fired again, missing the last two. I threw my knife at the sword man, bursting into laughter when I watched it plunge into his side. He screamed in pain, but I flung myself to the ground to miss the knife man's hit. I crawled across the sandy ground to find myself grabbing onto a type of pole.

Pushing my gun back into my holster, I stood up, bringing up the pole with me. I figured I could knock out the guy with the knife and have a little duel with the sword man. Instead, when I brought the pole in front of me, I found that it was the scythe the one man had.

"Holy shit," I hissed, gaping at it in surprise. That wasn't what I expected at all.

The sword man ran forward, keeping his weapon straight out. I used the handle to push his sword out of the way before plunging my blade into his back. He groaned before slumping to the floor. The man with the knife was looking at me, mortified. He dropped the knife and proceeded to run away. I picked up his knife, and threw it. Once it crashed into his back, he fell to his knees. I whipped out my gun and fired, getting him in the back of the head. He fell face forward, dust escaping from the ground when his head thumped into it.

I stared up at the scythe, smiling. "I guess I'll keep this."

I turned to find Eliza and Brianna staring at me, mortified. I glanced up at the scythe, then at them. "This isn't what it looks like."

Eliza spoke before Brianna could. "I think it does."

I laughed, nervously, before resting the pole of the scythe on my shoulder. "Come on then?"

They nodded, waltzing down the stairs after me. Walking through town was too interesting, seeing everyone gazing at you with this terrifying weapon. I grinned, devilishly. I ignored the comments shifting behind me. It was all normal anyway.

Back on the ship, everyone was gathered around in a circle. Brady stood with his arms crossed, the pissed off look on his face. I kept my eyes on him though, not at all scared.

"You allowed these girls to join our ships?" Brady argued.

"Yes, Brady. I thought they could be of some help. I was only thinking of the ship."

"Uh huh," Lydia said, sneaking off into another room shortly after.

"No offense to either of you," Brady started, but his voice tuned out when he faced them. His eyes stayed on Eliza, his voice stuttering as he tried to speak. I let out a small, quiet chuckle. Zelia was glaring at me.

"You two can stay," he spat out.

"Good god!" Zelia yelled, throwing her hands up in defeat as she stalked off.

"Thanks, Brady," I chimed in, breaking his momentarily spell. "I'm off to my room now."

As I beckoned toward the halls, I heard Brady call after me.

"Zach, where did you get that scythe?"

I waved a hand. "Don't worry about it."


	5. Chapter 5

"What happened to me?" Arissa slid into the dining area, pressing her hands against her head.

"Stanton," Zelia stated, chuckling as she jerked her chin in the direction of Stanton's place.

Arissa froze, a mortified expression springing on her face as she looked at Stanton's evil one. "What…what…did he do…to me?"

"I used a shock ray on you," he laughed. "Don't worry, I didn't ruin your pretty face."

She put a hand against her cheek and I thought I saw a hint of blushing on her cheeks. She must have not been used to compliments. I grinned as I glanced back at my food, sticking a spoonful of soup in my mouth. This ship was just becoming more and more interesting.

"How did you sleep?" Lydia eyed Arissa suspiciously, but I saw a glint of sympathy crossing her eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if the two of them became friends. Zelia wasn't really a friend to too many people.

"Fine, just fine. The only problem was nightmares, odd ones for that matter."

"Of what kind?" I blurted, instantly curious. Everyone stared at me in astonishment, and I only blinked in confusion. Where did that come from?

"I saw this guy. I have never seen him before, and it seemed like he was unknown to most of mankind. He had my little sister in his custody. He proposed to me, saying he would give me everything, including the world. I refused. I could see the darkness in his eyes. But when I did, he tortured me, almost killing me right in front of Tiffany."

I looked at everyone else at the table and saw Brady's mouth drop open a little. My mind raced, trying to search through for clues. Was it Arissa's dream that caught his attention? What could have made him react like this?

"Did you see exactly how this guy looked?" Charles asked, his attention more intense than Brady's.

"No, not really. I would know if I saw his face again probably," Arissa shrugged, clearly not getting the point.

The way Charles was studying Arissa's reaction and Brady's shocked face told me that they were both noticing the same thing. It scared me honestly, worrying me to a point that I stood up in the middle of dinner and asked to speak to Charles for a moment.

Charles followed me out of the room, calmly, and pushed his hands into his pockets, titling his head slightly so I could whisper into his ear easily.

"What was going through your head? I could tell you and Brady caught something, but I didn't get it," I spoke, urgency in my voice. I hated not knowing things.

Charles resembled Brady, more sophisticated than I have ever seen him. "Once Brady caught on, I put the pieces together. She was dreaming about someone that was willing to give her the world, was unknown to mankind, and had custody of her sister. Ring any bells now?"

I thought for a moment until it all circled into my brain. "It's this evil genius we are hunting after, isn't it?"

"Seems like it. I overheard Brady talking about that the Company thinks this guy, whoever he is, somehow was in charge of the murder of Arissa's mother."

I nodded. "That's understandable."

His lips curled into a smile. "I also heard Arissa had a little fling with one of her servants."

He left me speechless, stepping back into the dining area. I stood there, gaping at the plain wall before I realized what I was doing. I shook my head, ran my hand through my hair, and walked back inside.

Arissa gave me a small smile, but I sat down in my seat awkwardly, not replying. I could see her puzzled expression, but she put it away. My mind laughed. We both could hide our emotions.

"When are we getting to Base?" Lydia brought up the question that was lying in all of our minds.

"In another hour or so. Unfortunately, we'll hit some turbulence pretty soon. Let's finish up dinner and get to our rooms for that," Brady spoke, wiping his lips on the napkin before standing up to leave. "Tell Eliza thanks for the food."

We all nodded, eating off the rest of the food. Charles and I made contact and for some reason, we both snickered. Zelia glared at me, but I returned a gaze with a grin. She shook her head jokingly before bending her head to eat her food.

At their own time, everyone else left. I still sat there, staring at the table with thoughts running through my mind that I couldn't remember after. I heard footsteps ahead of me, and when I craned my head back up, I spotted Eliza standing in the doorway. She had her hair pulled back in a messy bun, her bright eyes giving me a kind look. I pulled myself out of my seat.

"I'm just here to get the dishes," Eliza explained, her small smile whipping a wide one onto me.

"Need any assistance?"

She laughed lightly. "No, that's fine. Brianna is helping in there. I think we're fine."

I nodded, listening the sound of my own boots hitting the metal floors as I walked out into the halls, heading down to my room. It only lasted for a minute until I felt the ship beginning to shake and tilt, the floor beneath me starting to turn sideways. I fell to the ground and was sliding down the floor like a slide. I kicked my feet, trying to find something to hold me in my place, but I never noticed how flat our floors were.

Shouts echoed throughout the entire ship, but I heard one particular scream above all else and thump quickly following. I knew it came from the kitchen, so I dug my fingertips against the floor, pressed my toes into it as well, and started pulling myself up the floor. My muscles strained drastically, I was close to collapsing, but I kept going.

The lights began to flicker on and off until everything finally went dark. I searched my coat until I found my goggles in my pocket. Throwing them over my eyes, I forced them to use the infrared cam. I knew I had to pass a couple of doors before I could find the kitchen. I did so, feeling the ship slowly moving back to its normal position. I continued to crawl toward the kitchen, breaking down the door when I did find it. I grabbed a hold of a table and got myself to my feet as the lights came back, so I took off my goggles. Eliza sat on the floor, leaning against the cabinets, holding onto Brianna. Her eyes were closed, and even though my breathing was already difficult, I became more worried.

"Is she alright?"

Eliza nodded. "Just bumped her head. I'll get her fixed up."

"Okay. If you need anything, give me a yell. I'm going to go check on the pilot."

"We have a pilot?" Eliza seemed surprised.

"Of course we do. We aren't that advanced in technology. I've never met or seen the pilot before, but I guess this is a good start. Let's hope he isn't crashing us," I huffed, rushing out of the room and tearing down the halls toward the front of the ship.

The door to the piloting area had a small symbol on the front of it. It looked something like a bird with an arrow through it, but I couldn't tell at that moment. I wasn't wasting my time with figuring out a picture.

Bursting through the door, I found the pilot in his seat. It was a dark room that was only brightened by the graphics on the window in front of him. I saw some kind of green lights making the shape of everything; telling how much gas we had, a map of our world, temperature, a satellite keeping track of anything nearby, and a contacting list. I didn't understand any of it, but I got the main idea. I ran toward him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yo, dude, can we try not to die?"

His face was darkened by a hood he wore over his head. I saw his smile though. "Yeah, sure thing. I'll try not to do anything drastic."

His Irish accent took me by surprise. Where have I heard his voice before? "Well what's going on?"

"We took a big hit of turbulence. It should be passing any second now. No worries, Zach."

It hit my brain instantly, almost knocking me to my feet. His accent, the way he spoke to me, and how he said my name. I growled, narrowing my eyes. "No fucking way!"

I grabbed onto the front of his shirt, knocking off his hood, and picked him up, slamming his back into the wall. There was fear now in his dark brown eyes, his fiery red hair messed up from his hood. Memories tried to flash in my mind when I looked into his face, but my brain screamed at them to go back. I wasn't in the mood to think of the past.

"Damn it Isaac! What the hell are you doing here?"

"I wanted a flying job. And that Captain guy offered me a job," his eyes were grinning, but his face said otherwise.

"Brady is an Admiral."

An eyebrow cocked. "Does that make you Captain?"

I whispered under my breath, but I allowed him to hear me. "Our Captain died last year."

"Ah. I'm sorry to hear that," his face was sympathetic. But I knew him too well.

"I thought you quitted flying," I snarled, throwing him to the ground.

He surely dressed the same when I watched him brush himself off. It was pretty much a tuxedo without the jacket and vest or tie. Plain white fancy shirt and slacks. Even those same shiny black shoes. "I did when you left. My father wanted me to become something like a lawyer. I laughed in his face. I don't think lawyers are as wanted as they were before The Alliances came along."

"The Alliances are dying. I'm pretty sure you know that."

He rubbed his hands together. "Of course I do. I'm not Irish for nothing."

I laughed. He had his old sense of humor, thinking his nationality had to do with everything. Let's just say, he could be pretty conceded in many things. "I don't think that has anything to do with it Isaac."

He leaned forward. "I beg to differ."

I furrowed my eyebrows.

"I visited Ireland last summer. Looks like this power hungry kid is getting control of them too."

"You've heard of the Illusionist?" Remembering what Brady said came in handy.

He nodded. "He was in Dublin when I went."

My eyes grew wide. "Did you see him? Did you happen to catch his name?"

Isaac interrupted me. "Zach, don't you think I would have told you already if I did? He was surrounded by soldiers."

"Soldiers?"

Isaac looked like he was questioning my intelligence. "He's close to controlling the world, Zach. He's taking each country as it comes."

"That's why we want to stop him," I stated, glaring.

"I understand that Zach. A lot of people want to stop him. But there are more people following him. He almost convinced me to join him," his voice trailed off as he pressed a button at his table of gadgets. I felt the ship steady itself, but it was still shaking.

"I thought you said you never saw him."

"I didn't. He spoke over the loud speakers. His voice sounds trustworthy, but I saw the darkness behind it before he convinced me."

I stared at him, ideas running through my mind. "So you would be able to recognize his voice?"

Isaac nodded, his red hair following his head. "More than yours."

"Then it looks like we'll keep you here."

He smiled, and I could see the mischievous nature hidden in it. I was use to seeing the thoughts behind it. "Of course you do, Zach. You needed me for everything, remember?"

I hissed under my breath before I reached for his throat and pushed him against the wall again. He clawed at my hands as I saw his face pale. "You swore to me that you would never speak of that again!"

He shook his head, his eyes starting to twitch. I finally realized that I had his life in my hands, though it didn't make me let go. I heard the door swing open and saw Brady storm in, wide eyed. I loosened my grip on Isaac and I felt his throat gasp for more breath.

"Who is controlling the ship?" Brady yelled and Isaac lifted a finger in the direction of his board. A single flashing light was there, indicating that it was on auto-pilot. But who knew how long that could keep us up in the air?

Brady pressed the button again, and the light went off. He took a hard grip on the handle bars that were used as a steering wheel. He tried easing it forward, but that ended up with the ship dropping around a hundred feet. Isaac took grabbed onto a door handle of a wardrobe next to me as we flew up. I ended up crashing my head against the ceiling. Let me tell you, that hurt like hell.

"Do you even know how to drive this?" Isaac called to him.

"Not a clue."

A beeping sound went off and I immediately panicked. "What is that?"

"We are getting close to Base. But too close."

Before I could question his answer, Brady made the signs disappear on the screen so we could see out the front window. We did in fact see the large building of Base rising higher and higher, as we fell toward the ground behind it. I heard screams come from every part of the ship as we went face forward into the bright green grass of Base grounds.

We all stepped out of the ship and walked toward Base, with dirt and soot covering our bodies and faces, some cuts and bruises here and there too. Charles was the most covered with black coal because he was down in the engine room. He's the mechanic, so I'm pretty sure that explains why he was down there in the first place.

General Dallas rushed over the grass with a few other Company's men toward us. I slipped on my gloves before they reached us, covering up the scar on the back of my hand.

"Did everyone survive?" General Dallas exploded, searching over all us, his eyes falling on Isaac, Eliza, and Brianna with curiosity. Oh yes, he hadn't met them yet.

"Yup, everyone is here," Charles replied, pointing a thumb to our ship. "She took it pretty hard though."

"I'll hire some men to have your ship fixed right away Admiral Brady," General Dallas said, shaking hands. His eyes fell onto each of us, but they froze on Arissa. He began to stutter. "Miss…Holden?"

Arissa broke into a wide smile. "Dallas! How are you and Joseph?"

"Wonderful," he shook his head in disbelief. I studied them both as they spoke. "Would you like for me to get him?"

"No that's fine. I'm sure he'll find me eventually."

Charles met my gaze, jerking his head toward Arissa. When I stared at Charles, not comprehending, his eyes told me to look up at the building. I did and saw a young man standing at one of the windows, gaping down at Arissa. Then I put the pieces together. One of her admirers.

"Very well. Now, Admiral Brady, are you planning on staying here until your ship is repaired?"

"If that's fine with you?" Brady's back was straightened and his face was hard. He was always so formal with these men, even when they told him not to be.

"Of course it is, Colton," General Dallas smiled.

Arissa cringed for a moment. "I thought he was Brady," she whispered in my ear.

I leaned closer to her, speaking low. "His full name is Colton Brady. We just call him by his last name. He always hated his first name for a reason none of us had found out."

Arissa leaned away from me, nodding her head as a response that she got what she was wondering about. Our eyes went back to General Dallas and Brady.

"Well, I'll give you a room to yourself, Admiral. Four other rooms for your crew to bunk together, and a separate room for Miss Holden."

Arissa bowed her head. "Thank you General."

General Dallas did the same to all of us and spun around on his heels, reentering the Base building. I glanced up at it, remembering the history of this place. It used to be an old university back when America became a country, and it was used as a mental hospital after that. When the Base took out those people, they placed them as personal assassins. We have never had problems with assassins since then, they are trained directly and are not allowed to do anything else. It always seems to work, from what I hear.

"Listen here," Brady said, turning to us. "Charles and Stanton, you take one of rooms. Zelia and Lydia in another. And the two sisters can stay together of course." His eyes landed on me, and then the crazy Irishman next to me. "Zach and Isaac take the last one."

I glowered and Isaac laughed. We both knew how this was going to end. Let's just say, last time Isaac and I had to share a room, we were twelve, and I almost murdered him. Not literally. Though, me choking him earlier could have killed him.

As we headed toward the big double doors of Base, I took another look up at the window where the young man was. He was still there, watching us. But as I squinted to get a closer look, I saw another man standing behind him, a bright grin floating on his darkened face.


End file.
